With the advent of the large round balers and stackers it has become necessary for farmers and ranchers to provide powered mechanical means to lift, transport, handle and unroll or distribute hay from the bales and stacks. Various devices have been built and used in an attempt to deal with the large round bales which are four to six feet in diameter, approximately five to six feet in length and usually weight in the range of six hundred to one thousand eight hundred pounds. One of these devices is the widely used "spike" loader which has been in use since mid 1973 and which is comprised of a spike of heavy metal mounted on a hydraulic or winch lift on the rear of a pickup, truck or tractor. The spike is simply pushed by the associated vehicle into the core of a round bale, then lifted by winch or hydraulic mechanism and carried by the vehicle to the place of feeding or storage. The spike concept has further been used on front end loaders (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,921,837). Further, devices such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,908,846 provide for squeezing a bale with penetrating members which swing into a bale from hinged mounting positions preparatory to lifting. The latter system further provides for unrolling a bale. A problem with the arrangement is that the design is insufficient to withstand the stresses created during the unrolling of a bale while crossing a ditch or low place. A further device for handling such bales is that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,305 which provides powered pivotal swing arms with bale penetrating members mounted thereon and with the arms mounted on an upright frame adapted for use on the rear of a tractor.
An additional example of a large bale handler is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,963 which provides for telescopic arms between which a large bale is squeezed, lifted, lowered, unrolled or carried. Other systems provide for plural lifting/moving means to aid in the accommodation of plural bales on a truck. An example of this system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,673.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a device for handling of large round bales which is simple, sturdy and reliable in nature.
A further object of this invention is the provision of a large round bale handling device for mounting on the rear of a pickup which may be operated from the pickup driver's seat.
A further object is the provision of a large round bale handling device for mounting on the rear of a pickup which enables the pickup operator, from his seat in the cab, to load and carry away two large round bales per trip.
A further object is the provision of a large round bale handling device which is adapted for use on a pickup and which enables the operator of a pickup from the driver's seat to load, carry away and unload on the ground or into a feeder a large round bale or unroll and distribute the hay from a large round bale.
A further object of the invention is the provision for lifting and transporting a large round bale by the use of power actuated arms mounted on a beam which pivots in an arc about the rear end of the bed of a pickup toward and away from the earth; which beam and arms may be stopped in any position along the arc of movement.
A further object of the invention is the provision for lifting and transporting large round hay bales by the use of power actuated arms pivotally mounted on a beam which pivots in an arc about the end or side of a vehicle toward and away from the earth with said arms being pivotal toward and away from each other about the ends of said beam for grasping and releasing a bale therebetween.